1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to the packaging of groups of articles and particularly to enhancing the speed of formation of cigarette packages by folding wrappers about blocks of cigarettes and sealing such folded wrappers. More specifically, this invention is directed to improved packaging apparatus wherein groups of cigarettes, combined to form cigarette blocks, are wrapped in inner paper and then enveloped in an appropriately adhesively coated outer-paper blank, the apparatus including means for folding the top and bottom ends of the wrappers and affixing a sealing stamp over the last closed end of the package. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Methods of and apparatus for the formation of packages about blocks of cigarettes are well-known in the art. A commonly employed cigarette package forming apparatus is known in the art as a "bottom-folding packer". An example of such a "bottom-folding packer" may be seen from German Patent No. 3,046,063 (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,665). In the operation of the apparatus of German Patent 3,046,063, two diametrically opposed cells supported on a block-forming turret are simultaneously filled with cigarettes from a double hopper and the cigarette blocks thus formed are subsequently transferred in pair, to a press turret which is equipped with specially oriented cells. The cigarette blocks are pushed, in pairs, from the cells of the press turret into cells of a wrapping turret. At the wrapping turret, the cigarette blocks are wrapped with inner and outer paper wrappers to form open-topped packs. The next step in the package forming operation comprises the transfer of the wrapped cigarette blocks to a top-closing turret wherein the partially completed packages are closed at the top end by folding. The partially formed packages are then transferred to cells of a drying turret which consists of two cellular wheels arranged in succession, the packages being moved from one wheel of the drying turret to the other by means of double slides. Sealing stamps are affixed to the folded package tops at the time the packages are transferred from the first cellular wheel of the drying turret to the other drying turret wheel. After a relatively long rotation, required for the adhesive to set, the finished packages are pushed out of the second wheel of the drying turret. The use of specially designed press and top-closing turrets enables apparatus such as depicted in German Patent 3,046,063, to operate at a higher packaging speed than has characterized previous apparatus of such character. It is, however, desired to further increase packaging speed.
Published European Patent Application 268,917 also depicts a cigarette packaging machine. The apparatus of European Application 268,917 employs a common drive for the folding units and conveyors of a pair of packaging lines. However, the speed of operation of this apparatus is limited by the fact that each packaging line is provided with its own drying turret.